Chapter 6 - The Mother’s Ambush
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I didn't have much to pack. A few worn outfits for Lily, my meager toiletries, and the soft book and bunny from the Christmas tree. Marcus watched silently as I stuffed everything into a single duffel bag. He didn't offer pity, which I appreciated. He merely stepped forward to take the heavy bag from my hands.
"The armored vehicle is parked in the alley," Marcus said, checking his watch. "We need to move quickly before the weather worsens."
I went into the bedroom and gently lifted a sleeping Lily from her crib. I wrapped her tightly in her pink blanket, pressing her warm cheek against my neck. She stirred slightly but didn't wake.
We walked out of the apartment, leaving the door unlocked. There was nothing left inside worth stealing.
We reached the bottom of the dimly lit stairwell and pushed open the heavy metal door leading to the alleyway. The freezing wind whipped across my face, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, my blood ran completely cold.
A silver Mercedes SUV was blocking the alley exit.
Standing in front of the headlights, wearing a heavy mink coat and an expression of pure, unadulterated venom, was my mother. She wasn't alone. Standing beside her were two large, imposing men I recognized as private security contractors she occasionally hired for her "elite" real estate open houses.
"Where do you think you're going, Sarah?" Evelyn Vance demanded, her voice cutting through the howling wind.
I instinctively stepped backward, clutching Lily tighter against my chest. Marcus instantly moved in front of me, his massive frame shielding us from the blinding headlights.
"Mom," I gasped. "How did you find me?"
"You think I don't have trackers on your cheap little car?" my mother sneered, walking forward, her expensive boots crunching on the snow. "You took property that doesn't belong to you. That letter was addressed to me as the custodial guardian."
"You stole my child's money!" I yelled, anger finally overriding my fear. "You forged signatures! You lied to me about Arthur!"
"I protected our family's reputation!" she shrieked, dropping the polite, concerned matriarch act entirely. "You were a foolish girl who got knocked up by a man completely out of your league. I secured our financial future. Now, hand over the baby. The trust fund requires physical custody to maintain the payouts, and you are clearly unfit to care for her in this slum."
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The two goons stepped forward, pulling zip-ties from their heavy winter jackets.
"Take the child," Evelyn ordered coldly. "If Sarah resists, lock her in the apartment until she understands reason."
